The Eagles successfully introduced themselves to the world in 1972 with their self-titled debut, which spawned the Top 40 hits “Take It Easy”, “Witchy Woman”, and “Peaceful Easy Feeling”. Looking to avoid the dreaded sophomore slump, co-lead singer Glenn Frey wanted to solidify the band’s artistic credibility with a concept album. The result was the Wild West-inspired Desperado, released on this day (April 17) in 1973.

The Beginning of a Successful Songwriting Partnership

On paper, the Desperado experiment failed. Neither single—”Tequila Sunrise” or “Outlaw Man”—managed to crack the Top 50 of the Billboard Hot 100. It’s still the Eagles’ lowest-charting record ever. And yet, history has looked back on Desperado with kinder eyes, as many consider it a touchstone of country-rock.

The album also marked the beginning of a legendary songwriting partnership between Frey and co-founder Don Henley, who had a hand in penning eight of the 11 songs. In a 2003 interview with Cameron Crowe, Henley described Desperado as “when we became a team.”

Added Frey, “I think I brought him ideas and a lot of opinions; he brought me poetry — we were a good team.”

The pair wrote both the title track and the lead single, “Tequila Sunrise”, within the first week of their collaboration. For Henley, “Tequila Sunrise” is a point of pride. “It turned out to be a really great song. The changes that Glenn came up with for the bridge are very smart,” he told Crowe. “That’s one song I don’t get tired of.”

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The Eagles Song Don Henley Still Can’t Listen To

Desperado contains some artistic peaks (“Tequila Sunrise”) as well as valleys for Don Henley. In an interview with CBS Sunday Morning earlier this year, the 78-year-old Rock and Roll Hall of Famer admitted he can still hardly listen to the album’s title track.

Carrying out the record company’s wishes, producer Glyn Johns insisted on spending as little money as possible on the album’s production. “Just get in there and get it and get out,” Henley recalled.

For this reason, the co-frontman was dissatisfied with his vocals on “Desperado”. “I think I got to do about four takes, maybe five and I still have a little trouble with the intonation on the lead vocal to this day,” he said. “I don’t listen to it.”

Featured image by Gijsbert Hanekroot/Redferns